Bradford Park Avenue 2, Alfreton Town 2

ANGRY scenes at the end marred Bradford Park Avenue’s competitive return to action with a stoppage-time penalty rescuing a point for nine-man Alfreton Town.

It had not been a niggly or spiteful game but Nicky Law's side had two men dismissed in the second half.

Bradford held a two-goal lead going into that second period after weathering a bright start from Alfreton.

They deservedly opened the scoring in the 18th minute when Michael Potts curled a shot from outside the area around the outstretched arm of keeper Nick Draper.

It was a class finish and Potts emulated it just after the half-hour mark. Another great run from the midfielder took him to the edge of the visitors’ area and he found the bottom corner with a crisp shot.

Avenue had the same percentage of possession after the break but couldn’t match find the same killer instinct. Alfreton got back into the game with a stunning free kick from Andi Thanoj. He gave Bradford keeper John Stewart no chance with a pinpoint effort from 20 plus yards just after the hour mark.

Town’s centre back Sam Berry was shown a straight red card for denying a goal-scoring opportunity by fouling James Walshaw.

The Avenue striker placed the ball on the spot but the referee, who had consulted his assistant before producing the red card, gave the free kick two yards outside the area and Chib Chilaka was flagged offside as he netted when the set piece was delivered.

Bradford skipper Simon Ainge saw a header from a later corner come back off the underside of the bar as the home side pressed for a third goal.

When Alfreton’s other centre back, Tom Allen, was dismissed for a second yellow card offence three minutes from time there seemed no way back for Law’s side.

However, into the last of the four minutes of added time, Alex Pursehouse made a challenge on Alfreton striker Joe Ironside who was on the turf in the area. The referee deemed it a penalty and Ironside stepped up to score.

Bradford boss Martin Drury said, “I’m disappointed. At one point we were cruising to a win but for me we gave two points away, no one has taken them off us, we just gifted them away.

“I thought it was a definite penalty so we have take full responsibility, we just shouldn’t be making challenges like that. We shouldn’t be losing games that we have dominated for 60 or 70 minutes.

“We dominated spells when it was 11 v 11 so why we are allowing them to get the ball into our area when it’s 11 v 9 is something we are going to have to address.”